Biographical note:
Conrad Earl Albrecht was born in Bruederheim in Alberta, Canada in 1905. He received degrees from the Moravian College and Seminary (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) in 1926 (B.A.) and 1928 (B. D.), and completed medical school at Jefferson College in Philadelphia in 1932. Albrecht then served as an intern and chief resident physician at Abington Memorial Hospital from 1932-1935. He came to Anchorage, Alaska in June 1935 to serve as assistant superintendent at the Alaska Railroad hospital under Dr. John H. Romig. Albrecht went to Palmer, first to assist in a medical emergency, and then to serve as physician for the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation's Matanuska Colonization Project and medical director of the Matanuska Valley Hospital from 1935-1941. He was called into active military service in December 1941 and served four years at Fort Richardson, attaining the position of post surgeon and commanding officer of the 183rd Station Hospital. Governor Ernest Gruening appointed Albrecht commissioner of health, a position he held from 1945-1956. In 1956, Albrecht left Alaska to take the position of Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Hygiene and Correction, which he held until 1958. He also served as Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health (1958-1963) and Professor of Preventive Medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia (1963-1970). Albrecht returned to Anchorage in 1970 and maintained a private practice there until 1975, after which he retired and served as a medical consultant. Dr. Albrecht was also a member of the University of Alaska Board of Regents (1949-1957), a member of the board and president (1966-1967) of the Arctic Institute of North America, founder and participant in the International Symposium for Circumpolar Health (1967-1997), and a president and board member of the American Society for Circumpolar Health (1980-1997). The Albrecht/Milan Foundation at the University of Alaska Anchorage was dedicated in his honor in 1991. C. Earl Albrecht died in Bradenton, Florida in 1997.

Collection description:
The collection consists of papers and publications documenting C. Earl Albrecht’s career in medicine and public health administration, primarily in Alaska. The bulk of the papers relate to Albrecht’s various positions, including papers documenting the Matanuska Colony, especially focusing on medical service in the colony, from 1935-1985, papers relating to Albrecht’s service at 183rd Station Hospital at Fort Richardson in 1944, as Commissioner of Health for the Alaska Department of Health, and on the University of Alaska Board of Regents, and papers relating to his work with circumpolar health from 1955-1995.

The collection also contains personal papers, including Albrecht’s personal correspondence, interviews, memorabilia, personal and professional writing, speeches and lectures, and other material. There are also subject files kept by Albrecht that document various aspects of his public health work in Alaska and American Samoa from 1934-1989, as well as general health-related publications. Additionally, the collection contains photographs documenting Albrecht’s work and personal life, as well as motion picture films on 8mm and 16mm film made by him of his travels and other personal subjects.

Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into the following parts (click on each part or series to go to that part of the guide, or scroll down to see the whole guide):

Digitized copies: Selected photographs from this collection are available in the Alaska’s Digital Archives (http://vilda.alaska.edu; search for “Albrecht”). For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Archives and Special Collections does not own copyright to many of the publications in the collection.

Separated materials: 1 cubic foot of publications were removed in October 2010 and transferred to the Rare Books Collection.

Acquisition note: The collection was presented to the Archives by C. Earl and Margery Albrecht in 1994 and 1995. A deed of gift was signed in 1995. Additional materials were added in 2005 by Jane Albrecht Graf.

Processing information: This collection was arranged and described by Jeffrey A. Sinnott in 2005. The guide was revised and additional materials arranged and described by Megan K. Friedel in 2010.

Container list:

PART I. PERSONAL PAPERS, 1905-1997. 2.6 cubic feet.
This part of the collection contains Albrecht’s personal notes, correspondence, articles, personal and professional writings, and speeches and lectures. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

1/1 – 1/2

Alaska health-related articles and other Alaska papers

1936-1987

1/3

Alaska news clippings (photocopies of articles from original scrapbook)

1945-1959

1/4 – 1/6

Articles and clippings about C. Earl Albrecht

1926-1996

2/1

Awards and honors

1948-1997

2/2

Biographical information and profiles

1936-1988

2/3, Oversize box 21, Flat cabinets

Certificates and diplomas

1905-1997

2/4 – 2/18

Correspondence, including letters to parents

1935-1949

3/1 – 3/16

Correspondence

1950-1964

4/1 – 4/32

Correspondence

1965-1996

4/33

Correspondence

undated

5/1

Correspondence with Richard K. Mellon

1966-1969

5/2

Correspondence with Terris Moore

1952-1981

5/3

Curriculum vitae, including lists of personal publications

1964-1987

5/4

Identification cards and licenses

1945-1988

5/5

Interviews with C. Earl Albrecht

1977, 1983

5/6

Memorabilia

1945- 1985

5/7

Military orders

1923-1965

5/8

Obituaries and funeral materials, including memorial service program and text of eulogy

1997

5/9

Papers related to Frontier Physician: The Life and Legacy of Dr. C. Earl Albrecht, by Nancy Jordan, including publishing agreement, correspondence, reviews, and notes

1994-1996

5/10

Professional papers – State of Ohio, Department of Mental Hygiene and Correction papers

1956-1957

5/11

Professional papers – Pennsylvania Department of Health papers, including documents, clippings and notes

1957-1962

5/12

Professional papers – Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Department of Preventive Medicine papers

Speeches and lectures – Pennsylvania Tuberculosis and Health Society Annual Meeting, Conference for School Nurses, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Tenth Annual Neuropsychiatric Institute at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, Second Annual Conference on Health Records, 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, 5th International Symposium On Circumpolar Health, American Society for Circumpolar Health Foundation, and other venues

1962-1991

7/1

Speeches and lectures – Statements and testimony before the United States Congress

1947-1955

7/2

Speeches and lectures – Remarks before the House Finance Committee, 102nd General Assembly of Ohio

Publications – “Matanuska: An Experiment in Rehabilitation,” by Grant Heilman, Swarthmore College (paper on the Matanuska Colony Project, 105 pp. including 4 maps, footnotes, and bibliography)

1941 March

8/12 – 8/13

Publications – Matanuska Valley Fair Association annual fair programs

1936-1941

8/14

Publications – “Matanuska Valley Memoir: The Story of How One Alaskan Community Developed,” by Hugh A. Johnson and Keith L. Stanton, University of Alaska, Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station, Palmer, Alaska (contains photo-illustrations and maps)

PART III. 183RD STATION HOSPITAL, FORT RICHARDSON PAPERS, 1944. 0.15 cubic feet.
This part of the collection consists of materials papers and written by C. Earl Albrecht during his service as post surgeon at the 183rd Station Hospital at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Part IV. Series 2. Reports and studies, 1947-1991. 0.6 cubic feet.
This series consist of departmental reports and studies on the subjects of tuberculosis, alcohol abuse, upper respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, and causes of death.

Children’s health publications for children about health and sanitation

1953-circa 1965

12/17

Children’s health publications for public health nurses

1957

12/18

Manual for Alaska’s Midwives

1951

13/1

Opthalmology and otolaryngology in Alaska brochure

1950

13/2

Pasteurization brochure

undated

13/3

Public health in Alaska (general) booklets

1949-1954

13/4

Sanitation in Alaska booklets and brochures

1946-1959, undated

13/5

Tuberculosis and its prevention teachings guides, brochures, and booklets

1946-1955

Part IV. Series 4. Alaska Board of Health papers, 1950-1956. 0.15 cubic feet.
This series consists of reports and miscellaneous other items from the Alaska Board of Health, which was the governing body of the Alaska Department of Health.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

13/6

“First Five Years of the Alaska Board of Health: A Report to the People of Alaska, 1945-1950,” produced by the Division of Health Education of the Alaska Department of Health

1950 July

13/7

“Utilization of Marine Units or Air Transport in Rendering Public Health Services to Isolated Coastal Areas - Territory of Alaska,” a report to the legislature from the Alaska Board of Health

1955 January

13/8

Letter from C. Earl Albrecht to Byron A. Gillam, regarding additional payment of funds for the Cordova Community Hospital

Part V. Series 1. University of Alaska Board of Regents papers,
1949-1970. 1 cubic foot.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

13/12

Correspondence, including letters regarding land grant convention in 1952 November

1949-1952

13/13

Correspondence

1953 January-June

13/14

Correspondence

1953 July-December

13/15

Correspondence

1954

13/16

Correspondence – Anchorage Community College

1954 January-March

13/17

Correspondence

1955

13/18

Correspondence

1956 January-July

13/19

Correspondence

1956 August-December

13/20

Correspondence

1957-1964

14/1 – 14/13

Minutes, agenda, and agenda items

1953-1957

14/14

Executive committee meeting minutes

1953-1955

15/1

Agreements and resolutions issues by the Board of Regents

1954-1956

15/2

Alaska state legislative bills regarding the University of Alaska

1954-1955

15/3

Proposals regarding the Arctic Research Laboratory at Point Barrow and the Mount Wrangell Inter-University Research Observatory

1953-1955

15/4

Reports, including progress reports, information reports, interim reports, and reports on student evaluations, faculty matters, Mount Wrangell Inter-University Research Observatory, and community colleges within the University of Alaska

1952-1970

15/5

University of Alaska budget documents and correspondence, including operating, construction, and department heads’ budgets and budget requests

1951-1953

15/6 – 15/7

Press releases

1953-1958

Part V. Series 2. Terris Moore papers, 1954-1982. 0.15 cubic feet.
This series consists of historical materials and drafts of book chapters regarding Neil Davis's book, On College Hill, a history of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Included are transcripts of interviews of C. Earl Albrecht from 1981 and 1989.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

15/8

“Notes for a University of Alaska Historian Concerning the UA’s Second Administration: July 1, 1949-October 31, 1953,” by Terris Moore, including Moore’s autobiographical notes

1982 June

15/9

Transcript of interview with C. Earl Albrecht by Charles Keim regarding Terris Moore’s administration at the Unievrsity of Alaska

1982 January 23

15/10

Working outline and drafts of Chapters 11-13 from On College Hill (A Science –Oriented Historical Monograph on the Development of the University of Alaska during Territorial Days), by Neil Davis. Annotated with comments by C. Earl Albrecht.

1989

15/11

Transcript of C. Earl Albrecht’s tapes with comments recorded for Neil Davis about On College Hill

1989

15/12

Press release regarding Terris Moore’s appointment as director of the University of Maine's Dept. of Industrial Cooperation

Part V. Series 3. University of Alaska publications, 1955-1969. 0.1 cubic feet

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

15/13

Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station and Agricultural Extension Service publications

1937, 1956

15/14

Alaska Alumnus, newsletter of the University of Alaska Alumni Association (4 issues)

1958-1969

15/15

Alaska Review of Business and Economic Conditions (1 issue)

1968 February

15/16

“A Brief History of the University of Alaska,” by William R. Cashen

1968

15/17

Campus brochures, prospectus, and guides

1955-circa 1968

15/18

Commencement programs

1955, 1964

15/19

“Gifts to the University of Alaska” booklet

1955

15/20

The Good Old Summer Times of the University of Alaska (2 issues)

1955 July 1 and 8

PART VI. CIRCUMPOLAR HEALTH PAPERS, 1955-1995. 0.9 cubic feet.

Part VI. Series 1. General correspondence and papers about circumpolar health, 1966-1994. 0.2 cubic feet.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

16/1

Correspondence

1967-1983

16/2

Correspondence

1984-1994

16/3

Trip to Finland for lecture at the University of Oulu Medical School – Itinerary and newspaper clippings

1967-1968

16/4

Trip to Soviet Union – Circumpolar Health Exchange papers

1979-1987

16/5

Correspondence, narrative description, and information sheet concerning C. Earl Albrecht’s proposal to the John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences (National Institutes of Health) to travel to Russia and Northeast Siberia for the purpose of studying the peoples' delivery of health care, specific health problems, and research into human adaptation to northern latitudes

1979-1980

Part VI. Series 2. Arctic Institute of North America papers, 1955-1969. 0.1 cubic feet.
This series consists of correspondence and other items relating to C. Earl Albrecht and his involvement with the institute. Albrecht was a member of the board of governors of the institute, which sponsored the first International Symposium for Circumpolar Health in 1967.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

16/6

Correspondence

1955-1969

16/7

Minutes of the Research Committee, Army and Navy Club, Washington, D.C.

1956 November 24

16/8

Arctic Institute of North America field research support application form from William L. Boyd for funds "to study the ecological and taxonomic distribution of marine and terrestrial microorganisms in the area of Point Barrow, Alaska"

undated

Part VI. Series 3. International Symposia on Circumpolar Health papers, 1966-1993. 0.3 cubic feet.
This series consists of files of correspondence, programs, and other materials from each of nine symposia held from 1967 to 1993. C. Earl Albrecht is a founder of the symposia.

Part VI. Series 4. American Society for Circumpolar Health papers, 1980-1993. 0.2 cubic feet.
This series consists of correspondence, drafts of constitutions, meeting minutes, and other materials concerning the society. It also contains a file on the Albrecht/Milan Foundation, founded by the society in 1990.

Box/Folder

Description

Dates

17/6

Correspondence

1980-1993

17/7

Constitutions and amendments

1980, 1993

17/8

Minutes: Annual meetings

1980, 1982

17/9

Minutes and/or agenda: Executive board meetings

1986-1987

17/10

Minutes and/or agenda: Board of directors meetings

1984-1993

17/11

1992 November 18 annual meeting papers, including minutes, reports, a list society officers, and comments on a draft working paper concerning a Human Health Subprogram of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program under the Arctic Environment Protection Stategy

1991-1992

17/12

Other papers -- “The American Society for Circumpolar Health: A Brief History” pamphlet, articles from Alaska Medicine, American Society for Circumpolar Health News newsletter, lists of officers and members, candidate information for society officers, and statement of purposes

Correspondence, statutes, meeting minutes, press releases, brochures, position announcements, legislative bills, and papers relating to “Circumpolar Journal” and the first meeting of the IUCH in Stockholm, Sweden, 1986 March 18-19 and General Assembly on 1987 June 11

1983-1991

PART VII. HEALTH-REALTED SUBJECT FILES, 1934-1989. 0.8 cubic feet.
This part of the collection consists of subject files kept by C. Earl Albrecht that relate to various aspects of his public health work both in Alaska and American Samoa. It contains correspondence, reports, legislative acts and bills, publications, and other papers relating to alcohol abuse, prostitution, tuberculosis, and legislative acts supporting mental health services in Alaska, as well as papers documenting Albrecht’s Albrecht's trip to American Samoa in November 1964 to January 1965 as a consultant in the design of the new hospital on the island of Pago Pago. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Alcohol abuse – State of Alaska report of alcoholic beverages distributed or sold, photocopies of articles and letters to the editor about alcohol in Alaska, and information about liquor licenses in Ketchikan

1981-1982

19/1

American Samoa – Correspondence (includes 1 p. narrative of trip)

1964 January-1966 July

19/2

American Samoa – “Report to the Honorable H. Rex Lee: Plan for Medical Services in the New Hospital,” by C. Earl Albrecht

1964

19/3

American Samoa – American Samoa Daily Bulletin

1964 November-December

19/4

American Samoa – “Information on American Samoa” U.S. Department of the Interior circular, “Fausia Se Samoa Fu: Building A New Samoa: Educational Television in American Samoa, An Investment in Tomorrow” informational packet, map and directory of Pago Pago Bay area, and newspaper clipping about C. Earl Albrecht’s visit

Part IX. Series 1. Photographs, 1906-1991. 1.5 cubic feet.
This series consists of photographs documenting C. Earl Albrecht's life and professional career. Subjects of the photographs include: Matanuska Colony, 183rd Station Hospital at Fort Richardson, Alaska Department of Health, University of Alaska Board of Regents, Ohio Department of Hygiene and Correction, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Matanuska Colony reunions, circumpolar health meetings, and the Albrecht family.

35mm film negatives, film positives, contact sheets, and contact prints of C. Earl Albrecht’s trip from Pennsylvania to the Matanuska Colony in 1935, life in Palmer and the surrounding area from 1935-1938, and a trip outside Alaska circa 1950

1935-1950

27/8

Color slides taken by C. Earl Albrecht of hunting, fishing, travel, and vacations in Alaska, his service as health commissioner for Alaska and with the board of regents of the University of Alaska, and trips to Denmark and Finland concerning circumpolar health matters

Film 2: Juneau, Haines, Matanuska Valley, Kenai Peninsula, Fairbanks, University of Alaska, Point Barrow, and Jane and Jack Albrecht (16mm b&w and color). Also on video cassette and digital video cassette.

Circa 1944-1948

Box 28

Film 3: “Hunting the Monster” (2 reels of 8mm color film). Also on video cassette and digital video cassette.